Like this:

I got the news last Sunday when I went to the TMJ specialist that my dentist recommended.

At the start of every appointment, my dentist (Dra. Ge from Bolaños and Associates) would ask me if anything’s been bothering me. I just always said two things:

1) I wish I didn’t have that old silver filling I got when I was a little girl because it always made it look like I had a rotten tooth. That’s me back when I was a college freshman with the little brother of my classmate. Hehe. A couple of months back, my dentist discovered that my bruxism (my very bad habit of unconsciously grinding my teeth and clenching my jaw) had caused an abrasion on my silver filling. This meant she had to fix it so YAY my silver filling is now gone (except the grinding and clenching is not cool)!

2) EVERY time I open my jaw more than an inch wide, it makes a very loud popping sound. My mandible gets dislocated when I stretch it too wide or even when I’m sleeping on my side. It’s very painful, annoying and it causes migraines. I think it’s one of the reasons why I’ve always been very temperamental.

It’s called Temporomandibular jaw disorder (TMJD) and I’ve had it since high school. Maybe even before that, I just don’t remember it being so much of a bother back then. One of the top causes for TMJD is bruxism which I’ve always had.

How strange that when I googled bruxism, Charice Pempengco came out.

So that’s what her controversial botox injections were for! I read that botox helps relieve bruxism which causes TMJ pain. Except I don’t think I can ever consider botox… Too scary. Wikipedia says “Botox can be successful in lessening effects of bruxism, though serious side-effects are possible. Less than one microgram ingested or inhaled is sufficient to kill an adult human.” Uhhh no thanks.

My dentist kept telling me to go to a TMJ specialist in Magallanes but being the lazy little girl that I am, I never made the time to go there. Too far!! Of course, I didn’t stop complaining about my TMJ pain to my dentist and she couldn’t really do anything to cure it so she gave me a mouth splint to be worn every night while sleeping to relieve the pain (because it stops my teeth from grinding).

This photo is from the internet but mine was specially molded, too.

It doesn’t really stop me from clenching my jaw though so it can still be painful. Finally, I had the brilliant idea of asking my dentist for a TMJ specialist closer to home (yes, I did not think of that sooner hahaha) and she recommended a dentist from Dentista, Inc. right in Shangri-la Mall. Great! So I scheduled with her and last Sunday I finally got checked.

She felt my jaw popping and I’m not exaggerating when I say she was alarmed by how bad it was. :(

See this is what happens when you have TMJ disorder. I hope you’re reading up to this part because this is a very common disorder and people often don’t think much of it but do you see that disc that gets displaced? That can deteriorate and your jaw can lock completely. Scary, right? Augggh.

The problem with may jaw is that the frame for the bottom set of my teeth is too small for the rest of my mouth. The TMJ specialist’s verdict: I need braces. I was so shocked because I didn’t expect to ever wear braces. I was lucky enough to be born with straight teeth!! I asked her how long I’d need to wear the braces for and she said 3 years lang. LANG?!

See, the moral of the story is to NOT be lazy. If I had this checked earlier then I would have worn braces when I was younger and still in school. I mean, you might think that I’m making this such a big deal but I do plan to eventually continue my “showbiz career” and I can’t be wearing braces, it would be harder to get roles. Okay haha I’m not really in any rush to start working on screen again, I’m obviously trying to justify my vanity but, hey, you never know… I just don’t want to wear braces, okay?

I know I should be thankful that it’s more acceptable in our country to wear braces compared to America (the country) and how they see America (the actress).

America Ferrera as Ugly Betty

When we talk about braces locally, it’s like something out of #sentisabado. I remember when I was in an exclusively all girls grade school, all the tomboys would have crushes on the girls with braces and vice versa. When we discovered boys in between grade school and high school, we were instantly attracted to those with metal in their mouths.

Remember when cutiepie Atom Araullo still wore braces in 5 and Up? He was everybody's crush.

His braces did not fail him as we can all see in this magazine spread (Rogue, June 2010)

I guess as kids we’re just attracted to all things shiny. Then we grow up and discover the wonderful world of kissing heehee.

Gustav Klimt's The Kiss

I can’t imagine kissing with braces on! I never kissed anyone with braces either (because I don’t kiss just anybody, thank goodness haha). Wait, I think my “first boyfriend” had braces. Did he? Wow, I’m such a bad ex-girlfriend… Or a really good current girlfriend because I don’t remember much about exes haha!

The TMJ specialist suggested lingual braces (braces placed on back of teeth) so they’re not visible to others.

I hear they’re more expensive and takes longer to achieve the desired outcome though.

Still not sure about the whole thing, I still need to get my TMJ x-rayed and stuff. Maybe I’ll just need braces for my lower teeth (I’m hoping!) so I’ll update you guys after I ask for a second opinion.

Like this:

Surprise attack on my bag by Julius. I was on his couch quietly reading on my iPad when he decided to do another version of What’s In Your Bag. I was not prepared, okay… Hahaha! Good thing my bag wasn’t so messy.

I didn’t know I was part of the shot haha. Not seen in close-up shots are things found at the upper right corner of this picture. Unused napkin, Holga camera (na wala namang film), Coach wallet that I borrowed from mom.

Mochaccino mints na prize from Bratpack (left it in my bag I swear it’s still sealed for when I give it away), empty plastic from Mercury Drug, random receipt from Kids Store when I bought my godson a Thomas the Tank Engine toy the other day

Clinique concealer, Bloom eyeliner, Smashbox concealer, Maybelline mascara, Lancome blush, Mac C2 powder, Body Shop 06 powder (had to get a darker shade after Boracay trip), banig of Biogesic mom bought me when I was sick (just in case but I was a tough one!), pills to prevent hyperacidity attacks, black shirt Maxx just bought me, white shirt I grabbed from Maxx’s closet just in case I needed it (and I did), iPad

Body shop kit (where the makeup goes), fan I borrowed/stole from my mom, Graphika Manila freebie from Pecha Kucha, cigarette pack which is fairly new, another lighter, notebook for notes to self (hence the DEAR SAAB), smiley ring Julius gave me, MAC lipsticks (girl about town, pink nouveau, please me) I never know where I’m going so I like bringing different shades around

Current bag is from National Geographic bought in Hong Kong. I LOVE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BAGS!

Like this:

At Pecha Kucha v3, Irene Sarmiento was introduced as an author and therapist who works with children with special needs. She wrote her first book about a boy with autism last 2009 entitled Spinning. My heart melted when she showed images from that book.

Illustrated by Christian Oliver Cruz who is also very talented as I saw from his DeviantArt account (click photo to redirect). From what I understood, the story is written from the point of view of the little boy’s sister and her trying to imagine how her brother sees the world. Cute!

The Open Time Capsule intends to communicate with people in the future, using words and images to stand as the artifacts of everyday life in 2010. This will be a gift to the 2020 generation and, though it is not directly stated, a gift to one’s future self as well. Who knows what things will be like ten years from now? Though historians and journalists will attempt to capture this year objectively, this time capsule hopes to preserve the emotional tone and subjective experiences of the contributors.

This Time Capsule shall contain: Letters addressed to one’s children, anecdotes or fiction, short essays, poetry, visual art, and illustrations.

I would download it except it’s not for MAC users :( Can you guys download it and tell me how it is? If you can’t download it like me, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this. I’m just proud that team Philippines won and it’s something we Filipinos love: gaming! Laro na!:D